Posted on 12/25/2012 7:50:49 AM PST by SeekAndFind
When King James Bible Online asked the 110,000 users on its Facebook page if they believe Jesus was born on Dec. 25, Christmas Day, 83 percent of those who responded answered in the negative. A majority of the respondents also said Santa Claus is a "lie."
The date of the birth of Christ was among the four questions King James Bible Online asked as part of its survey, titled "What Do Christians Really Believe About Christmas," that was conducted this month.
Only 11 percent of the respondents said tradition is right about the date of Jesus' birth. Six percent marked "Not sure."
King James Bible Online, a website inviting its visitors to read the Bible online, says 65 percent of its users live in the United States. And 96 percent of those polled said they are Christian.
Interestingly, while the majority of the respondents do not believe Jesus was born on Dec. 25, 71 percent said they think Christians should celebrate Christmas. One-fourth of the respondents said "No."
When asked, "Do you think it's OK to let kids believe in Santa Claus?" the majority, or 64 percent, said, "Definitely not, it's a lie." However, 28 percent said, "Yes, it's just for fun," and six percent had no opinion.
The last question of the survey was, "Do you think it's OK to have a Christmas tree in a church building?" More than half, or 58 percent, of respondents marked "Yes," while 39 percent said "No." Three percent said they were not sure.
The majority of those polled, 82 percent, reported they have been a Christian for more than 10 years, and 79 percent said they had read the entire Bible at least once. Females in the group made up about 60 percent of the respondents.
Several academics have made the claim that Jesus was born several years earlier than commonly believed.
In his recently published book, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, Pope Benedict XVI argues that the Christian calendar is based on a miscalculation. "The calculation of the beginning of our calendar – based on the birth of Jesus – was made by Dionysius Exiguus, who made a mistake in his calculations by several years," says the 85-year-old pontiff in the book that was published weeks before Christmas.
"The actual date of Jesus's birth was several years before," the pope argues.
Exiguus, or Dennis the Small, was a 6th-century monk from Eastern Europe who is best known as the inventor of the Anno Domini (AD) era, which is used to number the years of both the Gregorian calendar and the Julian calendar.
Yeshua most assuredly was born on one of the Holy Days recorded in the 1st Covenant. He was specifically _not_ born on the date of the rebirth of the sun god: Tammuz, Mithra, Ra or whatever incarnation you'd like to focus on. He and his 1st apostles, most assuredly did _not_ (do not) partake any any of the pagan idol worshiping festivals which the Romanized church created after He left earth. He was not involved in their imprisoning, torturing and killing those believers who faithfully partook of the Holy Days which he commands, including Sabbath.
Yeshua will return on a Holy Day, specifically during those of the fall, which He did not accomplish; for those are appointed for the culmination of all things; redemption.
Season’s greetings on this happy holiday!
The word the King James translates as dwelt is σκηνόω in Greek , it means to tent or encamp in other words the Word "tabernacled" among us.
That's a great reference, but you may be misunderstanding the importance of that passage from the Gospel of John. I've always understood this -- i.e., "we beheld His glory" to be a reference to the Transfiguration. John was one of the three disciples who was given the special privilege of witnessing that event, and I believe the "tent or encamp" reference relates to Peter's question to Jesus about erecting three tents for Christ, Elijah and Moses.
According to the seventeenth century Anglican cleric Archbishop James Ussher, the world was created on October 23, 4004 BC at 9 AM--presumably Pacific Daylight Time.
Amen, Peter.
Nope, He was Born on Tabernacles. You have to figure for the Jewish calendar using the "courses" set up in the OT. The "course" of Abija was when Elisabeth conceived John the Baptist. Then you have to figure 9 months from that course, taking into consideration the Feasts that required ALL priests to be at the Temple. Basically what you get is Mary was about 6 months behind Elizabeth and that puts Jesus birth at or about Tabernacles. Also, Jesus was "The Light Of the World". A theme of Tabernacles. They put up 3 poles in the Temple and lit swaddling cloth soaked in oil on Tabernacles and declared that as the "light of the world". Tabernacles also signified God living with the people. In John, It says the Word was made flesh and Dwelt among us. There were several more references to Jesus about Tabernacles, but just figuring the date using The priests "courses" pretty much tells it.
Trumpets will be when Jesus calls the Church for marriage. And of course Yom Kippur is Judgement Day.
Bingo! We have a winner. I spent a couple of months a few years back studying the Feasts. I highly recommend it to any Christian wanting to learn more about Jesus and the meaning of what He said and did. As a Christian, we cannot Know Jesus completely without the Jewish side of Him. The whole Bible was announcing the coming Messiah from Genesis to Revelation, and that includes the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Many skip those books thinking they are dull. They spell out the commandments of God as He guides the Jews to be His people. The declarations of the Feast days are for God, not man. Jesus came to the Jew first, and then to the gentile. They should have seen the connection of their declared Feast Days with the Revelation of Christ. Each Feast Day has a connection to Christ that even a blind man should see. Each day happens twice. Passover was the Death Angel passing over the first born in Egypt and later passing over mankind as Jesus was the sacrificial lamb blood over our doorpost. First Fruits was the First Fruits of the Dead, and Unleavened Bread of course is Jesus. Then later, we get the unleashing of the Holy Spirit on the same day the Ancient Jews received the Law. 3000 souls we lost on the Law and 3000 souls were saved on Pentacost2. We only have Trumpets, Tabernacles and Yom Kippur left to fulfill.
“I will get back to you later in the day.”
Please give me until tomorrow.
I just got home from a wonderful Christmas lunch and need until tomorrow to give it my full undivided attention.
I will get back to you then.
Thank you.
.....Or rather Obama having stolen the election.
Remember that, we humans are liner, God is eternal.
The “big bang,” which never happened, began in someone’s fecal immagination. Pick a date (or a nose if you prefer).
>> “The Pope wouldn’t be saying this unless he truely believes it.” <<
.
The pope is not a mathematician, nor an astronomer, nor is he well informed.
“According to the seventeenth century Anglican cleric Archbishop James Ussher, the world was created on October 23, 4004 BC at 9 AM—presumably Pacific Daylight Time.”
Well, according to William Jennings Bryant (Matthew Harrison Brady in “Inherit the Wind”).
>> “Since the bible does not give a date, that makes it specifically not important data to a Christian” <<
.
The feast that defined it is important. The particular date by the Julian calendar is what is not important, simply because the pagan Julian calendar is not God’s calendar.
The feast of Tabernacles is a commanded feast forever. All of the commanded feasts change dates under the Julian calendar every year.
>> “just like we don’t know the date when He will return to set things right.” <<
.
No, but we do know the feast: The feast of Trumpets is when he returns, and while we do not know which year he will retun, and thus not the date, we do know that it will be a sabbath year. When it is close, the “Wise Virgins” will be able to deduce it, and be ready; the foolish virgins will not.
April 18, 7 BC - not that it matters.
“Good post, but you’re incorrect about one thing. It wasn’t Herod who ordered the census/registration. It was the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus who ordered it.”
You are right;I was inter-twining my rulers. Thanks for the correction!
I'm still trying to figure out exactly what kind of civil authority King Herod may have had in an age when Israel was occupied by the Romans and subject to Caesar's rule.
Thank you so much for the article.
I just finished reading it with great interest. I am glad I waited until today so I could read it slowly and with great care.
I have already sent this on to my family. What an education!!!
My best to you and your family.
Thank you again.
I don’t think I am misunderstand that piece of Scripture .
I agree with you that the part about beholding the Glory refers to the transfiguration . The fact that Peter offered to build a booth should also give us a hint as to the day of the year on which the transfiguration happened .
All the Biblical Feast days are appointment days that point to the Messiah.
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